


Touch-Starved

by Stranded_In_The_Cosmos



Category: Underworld (Movies)
Genre: Comfort, Cuddles, Gen, Hair Brushing, He is having a bad time, How Do I Tag, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Torture, Lots of it, Lucian is fucked up about this shit, Mentions of Blood, Pack Cuddles, Platonic Cuddling, Touch-Starved, no beta we die like sonja and lucian
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-09
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-15 21:00:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,308
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29939316
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stranded_In_The_Cosmos/pseuds/Stranded_In_The_Cosmos
Summary: Lycans do not do well without touch for a long period of time.
Relationships: Lucian & Original Character, Lucian & Raze (Underworld), Raze & Original Character
Comments: 4
Kudos: 3





	Touch-Starved

**Author's Note:**

> A sliver of happiness for the man please. 
> 
> (Also minor spoilers: Just after he pulls this Sonja finds out she preggers so this is a hell of a time for him.)

Raze looked down at the ground, flicking a chip of brick across the floor. A month now Lucian had been missing. It was driving him mad, not only was his friend missing without explanation, his packmate was missing. Raze wasn’t taking it well, but he knew better than to ask them. 

Lilian approached him from the other side of the cage, where the other lycans huddled together. 

“You doin’ okay?” Lilian asked. “Seem pretty lonely over here,” 

“I’m...fine, just not feeling very touchy right now,” Raze sighed. “I’m worried about him,” 

“We all are, if it’s any comfort,” Lilian sighed, resting her head against the bars. “I’d give everything to even just know if Lucian’s alright. At least...safe,” 

“I think it’d almost be more comforting if I was the only one,” Raze said. “Probably not though,” 

Lilian offered her hand. “May I?” 

Raze nodded, and Lilian took his hand. The small touch was comforting, and he leaned closer to her. 

“Lucian’s going to be okay,” Lilian assured. “They won’t kill him, he’s too important. I don’t know what they’re doing, sure as hell not whipping him like usual. But they can’t do whatever they’re doing forever, last time they did that, Juni and Pip didn’t come back, they won’t risk Lucian like that,” 

“I hope so,” 

“Best we can do,” Lilian stood. “Come join us when you’re comfortable, ‘kay?” 

“Will do Lilian,” Raze answered. 

Lilian barely had time to sit back down before the gate swung open and someone was pushed in, the gate slamming shut behind him. 

“Is that-” Lilian asked, wide eyed. She wasn’t the only one who’s attention was caught. 

“Lucian,” Raze finished. God, he looked terrible. Lucian’s head hung low, his wet matted hair falling over his face. He was shaking, twitching and swaying slightly too. Raze could see a sliver of dried blood on his back from the angle he was sitting. Terrible was an understatement, the initial question of what they were doing to him was replaced with a more accurate one. 

What hadn’t they done?

Raze approached Lucian gently, even if he wasn’t a fragile being, one couldn’t put glass in ice then throw it into the flames without expecting it to shatter. 

“Hey, Lucian,” Raze greeted. “We missed you,” He was quieter, doing his best to keep the words amongst him, Lucian, and the others. 

Lucian looked up, tired eyes that were still restless all at once. He didn’t say anything in return. Raze didn’t expect it, and wasn’t going to make him. 

_ What did they do to you Lucian? _

Raze was light with his first touch, just the tips of his fingers on Lucian’s arm. Lucian shivered though, sighing. It was more startling than anything Raze had been thinking about, almost desperation, craving the little touch instead of rejecting it. 

“I’m glad you’re back,” Raze set his hands on Lucian’s shoulders, a small smile on his face. Lucian sighed deeply. He pulled Lucian into a hug, and the man practically melted against him. “Really,”

They stood like that for a moment. Silent, yet comfortable for a time. Still so many questions, but Lucian was there, and that was enough for Raze right then. 

“Do you want to sit with us?” Raze asked. Lucian nodded vigorously in response. 

Raze began to pull apart so Lucian could follow him, but Lucian pulled him back with desperation. 

“Please,” Lucian whispered. 

Raze nodded, and walked with Lucian clinging to his side back to the others. Raze was reminded of when Lucian was much younger, still a child, exhausted down to his bones, leaning on Raze for support. 

Lilian moved over to make room for Lucian and Raze, as did the others, and pushed back over once the pair had sat. Lucian shivered, the touch was almost overwhelming, but in the way someone starved found being able to eat once more overwhelming. 

“We’re happy to have you back Lucian,” Lilian said, running her fingers through Lucian’s hair, being gentle not to catch knots her fingers couldn’t undo. “Missed you, a lot,” 

Lucian smiled and set his hand on hers, a sort of assurance. “I missed you too, all of you,” 

“Heh, try not to go missing again any time soon, Raze went half mad worrying,” Lilian said. “Not that this is your…” Lilian paused. “You know what I mean,”

“You should get to sleep, it’s late,” Raze said. “We’ll be here,” 

-

Raze set a bucket of water down. “Do you want to tell me what happened?” 

“Do you want to listen?” 

“...Yes, I do,” 

Lucian hissed as cold water hit his back. “I was with Sonja, everything was normal, until, well, she was in danger Raze, I couldn’t help it,” 

Raze scrubbed away the dried blood. “What do you mean?” 

“I took off my collar,” Lucian ran his thumb over it absently. “She would’ve died if I hadn’t, and I might have as well,” 

Raze’s eyes widened. An act like that, well, it was a death sentence. Few lycans had managed it, and none of them got very far. “Why didn’t he…” 

“It was Sonja, if it hadn’t been her, her life on the line, he wouldn’t have been so merciful,” Raze thought this was hardly what he called mercy, but didn’t say it. “I-I found out why Pip and Juniper disappeared,” He almost yelped as Raze poured the water over his head. 

“What do you mean?” 

“They-” Lucian stopped for a moment. “He couldn’t have me dead, but wanted me close. Learn a lesson. They figured out something worse than whipping, even hours of it. They put me in a room, and left me there. Only kept me just barely alive. It’d drive anyone mad, but it was so much worse. My skin itched, still does a bit, and I couldn’t relax, barely slept, what little food they did bring barely stayed down. It’s like being out for a few weeks, from everyone, but so much worse. It was agony Raze,” 

Raze was caught between sorrow and anger, when was it ever enough for them? When was it that they had taken enough? He huffed sharply and began brushing out Lucian’s hair. 

“Juniper and Pip were their experiments, seeing how long they could keep us like that before we cracked our heads open. I-” Lucian choked, a knot of feelings in his throat. “They died in there Raze, cold and alone and-” A sob.

“Lucian,” Raze soothed. “It’s okay,” 

“It’s not,” Lucian whispered. “It’s not,” 

“It isn’t,” Raze sighed. “But it will have to be someday. We can’t fix it now, we couldn’t then either,” 

“They did nothing wrong,” 

“I know,” 

“They were just so young,” 

“I know,” Raze wished he had more to offer. 

“I want to do more,” Lucian choked, he felt so much like a child again, eager to please and terrified to disappoint. Had to protect everyone. The feeling never truly left, simply grew into his skin as he got older. “I want to have been able to do something,” 

“But you couldn’t, and can’t,” Raze said. “And it’s a hard feeling to swallow, I know, but it has to be done. You can’t save everyone, and somebody knows how hard it was to learn,” 

“It’s my job, Raze,” 

“And a blacksmith will make shit swords some days,” 

Lucian sighed. “I’m tired Raze,” 

Raze nodded, understanding. “We’re done anyways, let’s get back before it’s been too long,” 

“Thank you, Raze,” Lucian said. “You didn’t have to,” 

“Hush,” Raze sighed. “Come now,” 

Raze wished he had more to offer, Lucian deserved it, he was younger but had done and seen and lived through things not even Raze could imagine. But he couldn’t, so this would make do. 

“Race you back?” Raze offered. 

Lucian laughed. “Alright, fine, try to keep up!” He ran off, and Raze went after him. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed, please consider leaving a comment those give me strength.


End file.
